Happy day for low profile card users

[Anlushac11]

I have a flex atx mod case that I take to LAN parties. It currently has a XP 2200, 512MB DDR RAM, 40GB HDD, combo 16x DVD and 32x cdrw, Nforce mobo and a gf2 mx400. I wanted better graphics.

For almost 2 years I have fussed and fumed because there have been no decent 1/2 height cards.

Now I can rejoice.

Asus has now released a 9520 MAGIC with TV out. It is a Geforce FX 5200 with 128MB RAM and is 8x AGP. And it is a half height card.

Yes I know this means I will have to upgrade to a nforce 2 board but thats the sacrifices some have to make :)

[panzaman]

you don't have to upgrade, the 8x card works fine on a 4x AGP slot, also 8x AGP has no real advantage over 4x

[StealthHawk]

nforce2 motherboards are better in other ways though :)

[Dazz]

I would stick with the board you got it's still decent :)

[panzaman]

..I do agree nForce2 boards are great, my first choice if I would be upgrading from a KT133A, but since this gui has already a DDR mobo, what's the point?....

[Anlushac11]

I am reading now that the FX 5200 is not very good, but still it should beat the GF2MX400 64mb ddr I have in it now.

But my GF2MX400 has beat all the GF4MX cards I have tested, thats why I never upgraded to one of those.

Since this box is a LAN party machine do you think the 5200 will be OK?

or should I go with one of the 1/2 height Quadro cards. Like the 580GX(?). It is expensive but ti should give the performance I want.

[StealthHawk]

Originally posted by panzaman
..I do agree nForce2 boards are great, my first choice if I would be upgrading from a KT133A, but since this gui has already a DDR mobo, what's the point?....

Well, yeah.

But with a slower video card he'll need all the extra speed he can get. And if he plays at lower resolutions that is especially true.

I was just plugging the nforce2 though. Such a great motherboard :)